This web site is focused on gleaning a "gold nugget" from the chapter of Proverbs that corresponds to the current day of the month. The idea was first proposed to me years ago. After trying it, I found myself seeing the scenarios described in proverbs in my daily living. The option for making wiser decisions was becoming more apparent. The Book of Wisdom has lived up to its billing. Proverbs should not be the entirety of your bible reading, but it can be a valuable part of your daily discipline.

Guarding Your Mouth

Reading
for Today: Proverb Chapter 13

Gold NuggetVerse 3: “He who guards his mouth preserves his life,Buthe who
opens wide his lips shall have destruction.”

Commentary

The bible tells us that life and death are in the tongue.
We usually associate that with how destructive our words can be to others, but we
can be just as destructive to ourselves with our own words. Once a guy went on
an interview and had the job based on his skills, education and small talk, but
after too much rambling revealed things that the employer used against him. The
old saying that says, “Better to keepyour mouthclosed and be thought a fool than to openitand remove
all doubt” actually originated in Proverbs. "Even a fool
is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is
considered perceptive." (Proverbs 17:28)
On the other hand, not having enough good sense (wisdom), will result in things
being said that can be destructive to others as well as yourself. Today’s “gold
nugget” says, “He who guards his mouth preserves his life,Buthe who
opens wide his lips shall have destruction.” There have been times where a good filter over my
mouth would have saved me and others harm and even embarrassment. As we get
older and look back at things we have said and done, sometimes we get a little
embarrassed at how revealing our foolishness was to everyone but ourselves. I
wish I could say that it was in my twenties that I looked back at foolish
things I’ve said and done in my teens, but there seems to be something of the
sort from the decades that followed. As I have gotten older, I have learned the
hard way to apply today’s lesson. I am slower to speak foolishness and
hopefully more in tune with wisdom, but there is still so much growing going
on. I have found peace in knowing that I have a source of wisdom in His Word
and I have nothing to regret from speaking about the things found therein. On
those things, I am quick to speak and have found them to be unto life.

PrayerLord, when I am in your Word consistently, I find I have more to say. I hope
that when I am not in your Word as I should that I will be slower to speak and
less likely to cause destruction with my words. Amen